Nambour Winter JazzFest

They have performed all over the world, toured around Australia, but their favourite gig was in an intimate venue right here in Nambour!

Australia’s premier Jazz band, Galapagos Duck have a long track record. In 1969, a group of jazz musicians formed to play the winter season at The Kosciusko Ski Chalet. They named this new band Galapagos Duck (in deference to a Spike Milligan sketch). Along with trailblazers like the late, great Graeme Bell and then stars like Don Burrows, George Golla and the Morrison brothers, Galapagos Duck put Australian Jazz on the map.

They’ve won national and international awards… played throughout America, Asia and Europe…performed all the big jazz gigs from Montreux to the American Musexpo and the Singapore International Jazz Festival… and played and recorded with the likes of Nina Simone and Ray Charles, James Morrison, Tommy Emmanuel, Don Burrows, Winifred Atwell, The Australian Dance Theatre and The Australian Ballet.

As part of their 2016 Australian tour, Galapagos Duck performed at the inaugural Nambour Winter Jazz Fest held at The Bison Bar. “That was the best gig out of the whole tour,” says John Conley, “It wasn’t the biggest, but it was the best atmosphere. The audience were fantastic and what a great place to perform!”

Keen to return, Galapagos Duck will be headlining the 2017 Nambour Winter Jazz Fest. The band’s latest lineup includes one of the originals - sax player Willy Qua (who harks back to 1973) - along with bass player/guitarist John Conley who boasts a mere 35 year association with the band. Then there’s renowned saxophonist Richard Booth (sax, clarinet, flute and steel drum), the exciting drummer Rodney Ford and Wil Sargisson (keys),who was only born after the original Galapagos Duck had been playing The Basement for 11 years!

Reviewer Lloyd Bradford Syke recently wrote in Australian Stage:

The Duck have lost none of their vigour, enthusiasm, dexterity, versatility or skill. In fact, they’re probably playing better than ever; which, after 43 years, is saying something! 

The band swings hard, their performance irresistibly upbeat and positive. The Galapagos Duck is nothing less than a powerhouse.

Held at the C-Square complex, Nambour, on the 29th July, the festival is expanding this year to include five venues plus free entertainment on the outdoor stage. A boutique festival, this will be a day of quality jazz, fine wine and good food. With cafes, bars and food stalls, the Nambour Winter Jazz Fest offers many culinary delights to accompany the fine music throughout the afternoon and evening. The event will run from 12pm to 9:30pm and feature live music, dancers and pop-up performances throughout the afternoon and early evening. It’s a chance for patrons to get up close and personal with many great jazz artists.

Along with Galapagos Duck, the festival will also feature top jazz artists The View from Madeleine’s Couch, Wil Sargisson, SCAT, Ewan MacKenzie and many others – an amazing variety of jazz from swing, to Brazilian, to blues, to funk and even Gypsy jazz.